Emmanuel Mudiay scored a career-high 34 points (14 in the fourth quarter), and the New York Knicks rallied from 21 points down in the second quarter to beat the Charlotte Hornets 126-124 in overtime to end a 5-game losing streak.
The Knicks trailed 41-20 with 10:12 left in the second quarter and 72-53 at halftime. They were still down 93-74 with 1:26 left in the third quarter, with a 2.2% chance to win, and outscored the Hornets 52-31 the rest of the way.
Nicolas Batum’s 3-pointer made it 126-124 with 6.1 seconds left, and Kevin Knox II missed 2 free throws with the Knicks up 2 and 5 seconds left. The Hornets had the ball down 2, but Kemba Walker missed a driving layup at the buzzer that would have tied it.
During clutch time, the Knicks outscored the Hornets 24-18. Mudiay scored 8 of the Knicks’ 24 on 4 for 6 shooting. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Noah Vonleh had 6 of his 7 assists, 2 of them on baskets by Tim Hardaway Jr. that put the Knicks ahead.
Knox scored 20 points (10 in the first quarter). Mudiay and Vonleh set each other up for 5 baskets and 11 points, 3 of them in the fourth quarter or overtime.
For the Hornets, Cody Zeller had 21 points and 13 rebounds on 9 for 10 shooting, and Jeremy Lamb went 1 for 8 from 3. Batum had 21 points and 7 assists. Marvin Williams scored 20 points. The Hornets had 3 20-point scorers.
The Hornets made 20 3-pointers, 5 of them by Batum and 4 by Williams. They forced 10 turnovers, about 7 fewer than usual for this many possessions. The Knicks outscored the Hornets 22-10 in 7 minutes with Lee, Vonleh, Mudiay, Hezonja and Kornet on the floor together.